**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

But I do agree. The contract he is on now is a fair rate for him. I just don't think you can ultimately win it all with him as a starter on your team and paying him 18-20 million. We will agree to disagree on that front. That's why if the Lakers do keep him (meaning they couldn't get anyone better than him), it's as a possible asset, but more likely trade filler/salary filler.

Lakers not winning it all is because of many things. Could DLo be one of them? Sure. As is every guy on the roster outside of AD. LeBron was a reason why in some aspects. Reaves was. Rui was. Gabe and Spencer were. Etc etc. The we can’t win with him as a starter is nonsense because the two names floated have also never won anything.

Getting someone better than DLo would come at the expense of AR. Which then brings DLo back anyway. And if they bring DLo back without the big move, they wouldn’t be able to trade him before the season. Are they really going to wait until December, January or February to do a big shake up again?

if there’s a clear upgrade there. Take it. But the only clear upgrade available will cost Reaves, Rui, picks. And that guy has some holes in his game that require follow up moves with players they don’t have.


DLo and Lakers are “A match made in necessity.”
 
Bros. We got bigger problems

AD is playing team USA this summer. Fingers crossed he’s ready for training camp and healthy

Look at it this way......

IF they ignore my idea, maybe AD can try to recruit a fellow Team USA player to join up with him.

Likely? No, but worth a shot if they don't plan on movin him.
 
First round playoff numbers

Joker: 28ppg, 16.2rpg, 9.8apg
AD: 27.8ppg, 15.6rpg, 4.0apg

And I don't understand how the second thought is oh this dude ain't a center, he needs help.
Now just imagine his numbers if he didn’t have to guard Joker 30+ mins kinda like in 2020
 
Now just imagine his numbers if he didn’t have to guard Joker 30+ mins kinda like in 2020
Joker had to guard him too for the most part... it goes both ways.

Btw, here's the other numbers that matter.

Lebron 6.8rpg
Rui 3.8rpg

vs

Gordon 9.8rpg
MPJ 8.4rpg
 
We talking about AD tho 🤷🏽‍♂️
The reason I mentioned it is because imo the problem isn’t AD at the 5 more than it is Lebron at the 4 against Denver. Lebron was the guy who couldn’t keep his man off the glass.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t think the Lakers couldn’t use an upgrade over Hayes at the center position.
 
First round playoff numbers

Joker: 28ppg, 16.2rpg, 9.8apg
AD: 27.8ppg, 15.6rpg, 4.0apg

And I don't understand how the second thought is oh this dude ain't a center, he needs help.
It’s cause he ain’t won a gotdamn chip since he became a center full time as a Laker lol…what good are AD’s damn stats when he can’t win more than one game against DEN playing center full time LMAO

You’d see the same result if AD went up against Gobert, KAT, and Reid all by his lonesome,
 
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Joker had to guard him too for the most part... it goes both ways.

Btw, here's the other numbers that matter.

Lebron 6.8rpg
Rui 3.8rpg

vs

Gordon 9.8rpg
MPJ 8.4rpg

Forward rebounding or lack thereof was huge throughout the year.

This isn’t to dump on TP. He is who he is. When he plays a role that makes sense a really good player.

But dude rebounded like a guard. And a lot of the lineups with him in it during the season did so poorly as a reflection of that. Especially 3 guard, TP and AD lineups.
Poor rebounding continued into the series, but with Rui the biggest culprit. LeBron in some big spots too.
Rui provides slightly more on the boards normally, but for the size a build of him. He is a weak rebounder.

Drummond would help a ton. He isn’t a forward. But as a backup 17 mpg. He got 9 boards.

Vando not being injured would have helped a ton. If he and Bron were primarily the 4 spot.

Just leaves who is 3 that can get you those rebounds.
 
I have said my alternative for about a year now.

2020 was great (obviously) and I wanted them to go all in for another 2021 run. My belief being the clock was ticking on Bron and we didn't have years to waste.

And now we've wasted 4 years. :frown:

In 2021 we thought AD would take over and be #1.
In 2022 we thought AD would take over and be #1.
In 2023 we thought AD would take over and be #1.
In 2024 we thought AD would take over and be #1.

I'm good on seeing the same season over again in 2025.

Make a move NOW rather than wait til it's too late.

Can't trade Bron now, right? He wouldn't have a high value with his contract + mileage.

So move AD BEFORE we get to that point. A year early? Maybe. We don't know, given his injury history.
This year he did A LOT to repair that concern. So his value now, in theory, should be higher than it was last year.

Get what you can get. Couple young guys + expirings + picks. Best deal you can find.

Honest Convo with Bron. He can stay. Or, if he chooses to chase ring, we can help facilitate that. But let him have the choice. (In theory, trading AD would basically make the decision for him I would imagine) But don't make it messy. Don't Woj or Shams info thru the media. Keep it quiet, private.

Get back under the tax. Reset your payroll.

Develop your youth and try to add more picks as you can. But also be available for the next (in their prime) star(s).

Get new coach that you empower for multiple years with no Klutch hangin over their head. If we fire Ham, this will be Bron's 4th coach in LA. :lol:

So in a year where we have to hand our first round pick to New Orleans you want to rebuild? 😂
 
I wonder if the Lakers could help facilitate Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks. Being that the likely landing spot for Spida.

Would need to be a good amount of moving parts for each team so that both can walk away feeling like they still have a shot. (Unless Cavs are in full rebuild mode, and are looking to tear it down). Then a deal happens pretty easily.
 
So in a year where we have to hand our first round pick to New Orleans you want to rebuild? 😂

It's not ideal, but do you feel confident that in a year he managed to play 80 games, then the Olympics, then another season on top of that, he will be able to stay healthy and keep his value high enough to warrant any type of solid return?

If he breaks down in January or something, Bron yet another year older, and then AD's extension kicks in and he's nearing 60 mil a season at age 33.

You're looking at NBA purgatory..........the middle. Not good enough to contend, not bad enough to clear your cap and add talent thru draft (after next year)

You put that ticking time bomb on another team and hope that when he does break down, they are conveying premium picks back to us, much like New Orleans is hoping we do.

New Orleans is currently looking at passing on the 17th pick, hoping he breaks down next year and they get an even better pick from us. They'll have waited 5 years but could be worth it. We should look to do the same. I rather he break down on another team then pay 250ish million the next four years and he breaks down on us (and I assume by then Bron really will be retired)
 
I mean AD had a ****ty game 1.
They still end up 2-1.
AD gets injured. Series over.

That’s not on Drummond.

?????

Drummond wasn't good. I didn't say it was his fault we didn't win. He wasn't good. His lowest rated tenure of his career was the 30ish games with us. 3 years ago.
 
Think Drummond has taken an ego check since LA and is fine with being a backup center. Still an all time rebounder, but I can't take him seriously. :lol:
 
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